Show Me the Night Sky, and I'll Show You the Universe
by Loveandcoffeeandsimplicities
Summary: After a horrific night in the woods, the core four are not who they once were. Can they ever come back from it? Season four AU. Bughead.
1. Chapter 1

**Spoilers from last night's episode and a new story because today I was diagnosed with social anxiety and had to tell my therapist some shit about my past. Happy day! (I also just thought I had generalized anxiety, but nope, social too. I'll forever be awkward.)**

Betty's feet carried her further and further into the woods as she, Archie, and Veronica raced against the clock to find Jughead. He had texted her a cryptic message, one eerily similar to the call she had received when he was going to sacrifice himself to the Ghoulies. Heart in her throat, she prayed that this time wouldn't be like that time. Running faster than she ever had before, she strained her ears to hear any sound that might indicate where her boyfriend was.

Just then, she heard the sound of flesh meeting flesh, followed by a groan, and she knew they were close.

"Come on guys, we need to run faster!" Betty demanded, willing herself and her two best friends to run as fast as they could. Eventually, they made it to a clearing in the woods and the sight that landed before Betty had her nearly crying in anguish. Jughead, her love, being held to the ground by a hand wrapped around his throat. She could see the way he was turning blue, trying to pull the hand off his throat. Glancing around quickly, Betty spotted a rock on the ground and didn't hesitate for even a millisecond. She ran up to the attacker and hit him on the head with rock, letting her fury take over.

"Get the hell away from my boyfriend!" Betty spat. She was so consumed by rage that all she saw was red. She continuously hit the man over the head, even when he had fallen limp to the ground, unable to get up.

By this point, it seemed like Jughead had gotten his air passageways to work again because the next time Betty raised the rock, his hand shot out, wrapping around her wrist firmly.

"That's enough, Betts, you're killing him," Jughead whispered.

"He was trying to kill you," she hissed, still shaking from the anger dancing in her veins.

"I'm fine baby," he assured her. "But _you _won't be if you kill him and I'll never allow you to live with that. Not because of me."

Archie spoke up just then. "Uh, guys? I think it may be too late on that end."

Betty turned around, as did Jughead, and they both stared down at the guy on the ground. He wasn't moving.

"Shit, is he breathing?" Jughead asked lowly, dropping down to place his fingers against his pulse point. However, Betty had read enough Nancy Drew books to know about fingerprints.

"Don't!" Betty said suddenly, pushing him out of the way as she fell to her knees. "There's a bigger chance my fingerprints are already on him and I will not let you go down for this mess."

Before he could stop her, Betty placed her fingers on his pulse point, willing for a pulse to be found. When none was, she blinked back the tears.

"Fuck," she muttered angrily. She had to think quickly if she wanted to get them all out of this mess.

"What was his name, Jug?' Betty asked urgently.

"V-Viper," he replied shakily, and she nodded.

"Here's what we're going to do. You're going to run Jughead, disappear. I know I don't know everything that happened between you and the Ghoulies but right now is not the time to find out. They're undoubtedly waiting on word that you have died. We must protect you," she said firmly.

Jughead shook his head, aghast. "I'm not leaving you, Betty!"

She rubbed the tears away aggressively, angry with herself for breaking down when he needed her to be strong. "I'll be fine, Juggie. Please. Just go. Get on your motorcycle and don't look back."

He had tears in his eyes now, too, and Archie and Veronica had the sense to not pry anymore than they already were; they walked a few feet away from them to give them a modicum of privacy. Jughead placed his hands on Betty's cheeks, and Betty inhaled his fragrance.

"I love you, Betty Cooper. This is our Senior year and it was supposed to be perfect. This isn't fair," he muttered, pressing their foreheads together.

"I know, baby, I know," she murmured, catching the few tears that made trails down his face. "But your life is on the line and I will not sit back and watch you hand it over again. Please, if you love me, you'll run."

Kissing her on the forehead, he nodded.

"This is not goodbye, Betty Cooper," he said firmly.

"I'll love you forever, Jughead Jones," she whispered, tears obscuring her vision. Then a thought came to her. "Quick, give me your beanie. We need to rid any evidence that you were here."

He nodded, yanking the hat off his head and handing it to her quickly, before turning to Archie and Veronica.

"Look after her for me," he implored, and they both nodded, Veronica silently crying. Jughead pulled Betty into a bone-crushing hug.

"Remember me and remember that I'll find a way back to you," he whispered, and she nodded, swallowing down a sob.

"Now go, Juggie. And don't look back!" Betty said forcefully. It was a physical ache to her heart when he let her go and started running towards his motorcycle. Once reaching it, he turned to look at her one last time, mouthing "I love you", before he was gone and all that remained were the three friends and the body of a Ghoulie.

XXX

"Archie, we have to burn our clothes and then Jughead's hat," Betty said quickly twenty minutes later. They were standing in front of a fire, all three of them in their undergarments. Veronica and Archie had decided to not let Betty take the complete fall for the death of the Ghoulie and got some of his blood on their clothes and body as well. That way, if they were questioned, it would be three stories instead of one.

"Do it now, Archie," Betty demanded, and she watched as he threw her boyfriend's beanie into the fire. She was numb. She felt like she had just lost one of her appendages with the absence of Jughead.

"Now what?" Archie asked quickly.

"Now, we don't speak of this night to anyone. We carry on with Senior year. We don't talk, and we go our own ways after graduation," she instructed, and Veronica inhaled shakily. It was harsh but it was what needed to be done.

"Betty, are you sure?" Veronica asked quietly, and Betty nodded.

"I'm sure," she said resolutely.

Then, without another word to the two people next to her, she turned on her heel, striding away from the fire and her heart that Jughead had taken with him.

**Author's note: Okay, so because I absolutely refuse to believe the core four turn on each other next season, this is my take on a possible option for what could happen. And I'll go down defending this idea. Per usual, feedback lovely! Xxx**


	2. Chapter 2

**Trigger warning: Mentions of suicide attempt.**

**Three years later.**

Betty Cooper was up in the middle of the night for the fourth night in a row. Sleep hadn't been her ally over the course of three years, always eluding her when she needed it most. Sighing, she took a sip of her tea, hoping to calm her mind. It wasn't like she never slept, however. Towards sunrise, she would fall asleep for just the right amount of time to be able to be considered a functioning human and that was good enough for her.

Her mind cast back to _that _night. The night everything changed. The night her innocence was stripped away from her completely. She had thought witnessing Hal Cooper's death would have done that when Penelope murdered him, but no, it was when _she _turned out to be capable of a crime so heinous, she couldn't even look herself in the mirror, never mind if it was self-defense.

Something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye, bringing her out of her reverie, and she looked down at her right arm. In the faint light from the lamp, she could see the long, singular scar on her wrist. Remembering that night, she inhaled shakily as she took another sip of her tea.

_She had ran a bath, taking the kitchen knife and placing it on the edge of it. After sitting down in the bathtub, she looked at the knife for a moment, before scrolling through her contacts, landing on a familiar name. Pressing the call button, she held the phone to her ear, willing the person to pick up._

_It rang three times before the other person answered._

"_Betty?" The surprise in Archie Andrews's voice was understandable; after all, it had been at least two and a half years since they talked. _

_Inhaling shakily, she began speaking._

"_Hey Arch," she murmured, tears in her throat._

"_Betty, what is it? What's wrong? Are you alright?" Archie demanded, and Betty wanted to laugh because no, she wasn't alright. She hadn't been since the start of her Junior year. _

"_Arch, I know it was my idea to go our separate ways after…that night, and I don't regret that. What I would regret however, was if it I didn't call you to tell you how much you meant to me before I never have the chance to do so again," Betty said quietly, fingers idly playing with the handle of the knife. _

"_What do you mean, "before you never have the chance to do so again", Betty?" Archie asked in confusion. His tone was laced with an edge of panic. "You're not about to do something stupid, are you?"_

_Ignoring his question, she felt the first tear slip through. "Can you tell Ronnie that I love her, too? I had a feeling you two might have stayed in contact. I love you, Arch. I'm sorry."_

"_Betty stop, we can fix this -," Betty cut him off by hanging up. Not hesitating any longer than she had to, she placed the knife against her wrist and cut._

Eyes on her scar, Betty didn't remember much from the phone call she had made to Archie to the moment she woke up in the hospital. Archie was sitting right next to her bed, and she noticed the fact that her good wrist had been restrained to the bed rail. After many confusing questions and tears, Archie had explained how he had managed to call 9-1-1 and explain what was happening. They had managed to be able to track the number he had given them and gotten officers out to her apartment in the city before irreversible damage could be done.

It was a whirlwind of movement after that. She had been checked into a facility that would monitor her mental health and help her get back on her feet. After spending two weeks there, she was deemed safe again and released. Archie had offered for him and Veronica to come live with her, (she had been right in her assumption that they still talked), but she told him that wasn't necessary. All she really wanted was a chance to heal in private.

XXX

It was going on four in the morning by the time she had drained the last of her tea. Standing up from the couch she had been resting on, she went to the kitchen to go clean out her cup, her mother's voice in the back of her head.

Alice Cooper and hers' relationship had changed drastically after that day Chic Cooper showed up on her front porch. Her older brother was an FBI agent and her mother was an informant for them, helping to end the Farm. Once she had found that out, Betty had been petrified for her mother's safety, not knowing if or when she'd ever be able to see her again. Then, she ran away before she had the chance to tell her she loved her.

Running to the city that never sleeps seemed like the perfect idea. A city that big could easily hide her. Not wanting to lose touch with her mom completely, Betty had sent her a total of six cards over the course of the past three years, one for Christmas and one for her birthday. She had never signed them, but she liked to think her mother knew it was her. At any rate, she trusted her enough to not come looking for her.

Just then, there was a soft knock on her door that had Betty pausing and looking up from her kitchen sink. Who the hell would be at her apartment at three-thirty in the morning? Not sure if she should ignore it in the hopes that whoever it was would go away, Betty's phone pinged with a text.

_Open up Juliet, it's me._

Staring at the five words, Betty felt her hands began to shake as her world slipped out from underneath her. It was too much to hope for this; too much to not be excited only for her dreams to crush. She sat down on the floor, waiting it out until the knocking stopped. But it never did. It continued.

Eventually, she got up, and made her way to the door. Peeking out of the eyehole, she felt her heart in her throat as she slowly opened it, revealing the man she hadn't seen in three years.

"Jug?" Betty whispered.

"Hey there, Juliet."

**Author's note: Enjoy and thank you so much for the lovely reviews! Also, I'll explain what happened with the Ghoulie and what Veronica and Archie had been up to in the three years since the core four have been together in due course. Xxx**


	3. Chapter 3

Betty stared at the man before her, willing him to be real and not a mirage.

"Jug?" Betty whispered shakily, feeling like her knees would give way at any moment, especially if he wasn't real.

"It's me, Betts. I'm real," he murmured, somehow sensing her thoughts. That was all it took for her knees to crumble and soon, she was falling to the floor, sobs ripping through her. She should have landed painfully onto her knees, bruising them or worse, but someone, (Jughead, she guessed), caught her, wrapping his arms around her as he sank them to the floor slowly.

"Shh, sweetheart, it's alright," he soothed softly, and hearing his voice for the first time in three long years was like a jolt of electricity to Betty's body. Soon, she was placing her lips on every inch of skin that she could reach, needing the reassurance that he was there, with her.

"How." Kiss. "Is." Kiss. "This." Kiss. "Possible."

"I told you I'd come back for you, Juliet, and you know I'm a man of my word," Jughead whispered into her ear, running his hand through her blonde tresses softly. She didn't know how long they sat there with her crying and him holding her, softly hushing her, but it was a while later that she was able to gain control of her breathing.

"I thought you were dead," she whispered, horrified at the nightmares that still plagued her. Thoughts of not knowing where he went or if the Ghoulies had caught up to him during his run the past three years always left her waking up, screaming and in a cold sweat.

"And, not get the chance to tell you how much I missed you and your endless eyes? Never," he whispered, and Betty laughed through a watery hiccup. There were many questions running through her mind, some screaming louder than others, but his voice silenced all the white noise she had felt since losing him.

"I had to come back for you. So, when I knew the Ghoulies were no longer looking for me, I went back to Riverdale, searching for you," he murmured.

"But, I wasn't there," Betty muttered, heart clenching painfully at the realization of how worried he must have been.

"I'd search the ends of the earth for you, Elizabeth Cooper," Jughead said, interlocking their fingers. "Chic told me he tracked you down to New York City, found out you were safe, and went back to helping your mother."

This was news for her. She hadn't known that her brother had looked for her but, of course it made sense. They hadn't been reunited all that long and she left without a clue as to where she vanished to. It made a lot of sense. Taking a moment to collect her thoughts, Betty shifted through her series of questions ready to be asked and sought out the answer to the most vital one.

"Were you safe?" Betty whispered, and she felt Jughead nod as his arms tightened around her.

"Safer than you were, Betts," he said, and she heard the catch in his voice as her brows furrowed at his response.

"What do you mean?" Betty asked in confusion. But deep down, she suspected she already knew.

Right on cue, he lifted her sweater away from her wrist, exposing the flesh and scar resting permanently against her skin. Eyes shutting tightly, she forced herself to not cry again.

"What were you thinking?" Jughead asked, and for the first time since the reunion, his tone held a hint of anger.

"I was thinking that I couldn't live my life like this anymore. Constantly on edge of not knowing if you were alive or not; of not knowing if someone would find out what I did," she muttered. "But, how did you even know about that? My sweater has been down this whole time so I know you didn't see it that way. So…the only way you know is…," the puzzle pieces clicked into place.

"I've been in touch with Archie, yes," Jughead confirmed her suspicions and Betty felt her heart stutter.

"For how long?" Betty asked lowly.

"A year," he muttered, and suddenly Betty was yanking herself out of his grasp and where she had been kissing his exposed skin minutes before, she was now slapping her palms into it repeatedly.

"How. _Dare_. You." Betty gritted out. "How dare you talk to him for a year before you talked to me. Obviously you were safe if you were able to talk to him for that long."

To his credit, Jughead sat there and let her get her frustrations out. Three long years without her love, without knowing if he was safe or even alive. Every nightmare of seeing his lifeless body before her came to the forefront of her mind and suddenly she was screaming. Oh, how she was _screaming_.

"Get it out, baby, get it out," he whispered as her palms continued hitting his chest.

"I was so fucking worried, Jughead Jones. Three years. Three shitty years without knowing if you were going to keep your promise and come back to me! And you had the fucking nerve to talk to Archie first?" Betty screamed herself to exhaustion, and simply dropped her hands, crying so hard she was silent.

They sat there in silence, with Jughead holding a torn Betty. Eventually, he was the one to break the silence first.

"I'm so sorry, baby, so fucking sorry. You'll never know just how sorry I am. But I had to make sure the Ghoulies were completely off my trail before reaching out to you," he muttered, pressing his face against the side of he head.

"Were you even going to reach out to me if it hadn't been for this?" Betty demanded lowly, holding up her scarred arm. He winced, not staring at it for too long. It was like he wasn't able to. When he met her eyes again, they were gentle, filled with his love for her that only she got to see.

"Yes, I swear. Finding out about that just sped up the process," he vowed, and she heard the sincerity burning behind his words.

Tears at bay once more, she exhaled deeply, nodding. "Alright. Alright."

"We have to talk about it, Betty," he said softly, and she sighed.

"I know," she muttered.

"Why would you do that? Try to take yourself away from me permanently?" Jughead asked quietly, voice strained, and Betty's heart thumped unevenly against her ribcage.

"I was just looking for a way to make it all stop," she murmured.

"Make _what _all stop?" Jughead asked.

"The noise in my head," she whispered, remembering the nights where the fear overwhelmed her so much, it sent her into an anxiety attack, like the ones she had in high school. Only this time, there was no Jughead there to help her work her way through them; no, she had to do that all on her own.

"I need you to know something, Betty Cooper. I will be here from now on. I don't care how many fucking terrible days you have and how many fucking great ones; from here on out, we'll share them together and you won't do something like this again, you understand me?" Jughead asked. His tone wasn't sharp or accusatory and for that, Betty was grateful. She nodded her head.

"I understand. Can I ask you something?" Betty asked, desperate to change the topic. He nodded.

"How are Archie and Veronica?" Betty whispered, heart panging at the thought of last seeing one of her best friends after an attempt to end her life.

"They're good, sweetheart. They're engaged," he murmured, and she sighed happily.

"Good for them," she murmured, pleased for the both of them.

"Now, it's late. I've doubt you've slept properly once this week," Jughead said, and right on cue, she yawned. He chuckled. "Come on, let's get some sleep love."

She nodded, allowing him to lead her to her bedroom, heart feeling less hollow than it had in the three years since he had been gone.

**Author's note: Real talk, this was hard to write, for a multitude of reasons. The angst will calm down but I needed to set up the back story. Reviews lovely! Enjoy! Xxx**


	4. Chapter 4

As soon as Betty's head hit the pillow and Jughead had pulled her into his chest, she was out like a light. It had been the first time in at least a week that sleep was on her side. The next morning brought an empty bed and a panicked Betty. Sitting up, she looked around hurriedly before her eyes fell on Jughead, standing in the corner of her room, on the phone. He had yet to see her awake.

"Yeah, Arch, I got here last night. She wasn't in a good place but I think with a little help from us, we can get her back to who she once was," he said quietly, and Betty felt her heart constrict painfully. She didn't want Jughead, (or Archie), to have to worry about her. Just then, he looked up and spotted her sitting up, watching him.

"I got to go, man," he said, and nodded as Archie replied with something on his end. Then, he clicked off the phone and Jughead made his way towards her. Betty crossed her legs underneath her as he sat down on the bed next to her.

"Morning," he said softly.

"Good morning. How'd you sleep?" Betty asked.

"Better than I have in the past three years," he admitted with a chuckle, and she mirrored his smile as best she could. No need to tell him she had the same nightmare that always haunted her dreams.

"Me too," she murmured, and he quirked an eyebrow.

"Really?" Jughead asked, and she ducked her head down sheepishly.

"That…may not be the complete truth," she admitted quietly.

He cupped her cheek, and she looked back at him.

"Why don't you tell me how you really slept?" Jughead asked gently, and she bit her lip before nodding.

"Not so well. I-there's this reoccurring dream I always seem to have," she muttered, tucking her knees up to her chest.

"Tell me abut it, baby?" Jughead implored softly, and she sighed.

"I keep dreaming that the Ghoulies have caught up to you and they're hellbent on killing you for what I did. There's nothing I can do to stop it. I may have fallen asleep rather quickly last night, but that didn't mean my dreams were peaceful ones," she mumbled, looking down and fiddling with her hands.

"Look at me, Betts," Jughead asked, and she inhaled shakily before making eye contact with him. "I swear, the Ghoulies won't do that. Okay?"

Betty searched his face, assessing him to see if he was being honest with his words. He left his face perfectly open for her, and eventually she exhaled, nodding her head.

"Alright," she murmured, and he smiled.

"See? Nothing to worry about," he said, and she chuckled dryly.

"Except getting arrested for committing murder," she muttered, eyes downcast once more. She hadn't talked to anybody about that night, not even Archie when he was in the hospital with her. It was like if she didn't say it out loud, she could will that night to just be a bad nightmare. After all, she was rather familiar with those.

He cupped her cheek again, tilting her face up until they made eye contact. His eyes were burning with an intensity she hadn't seen in a long time. In three years too long, in fact.

"I will not let that happen, Elizabeth Cooper," he promised firmly, and she sighed.

"It's like I can't breathe with the weight of the guilt crushing me," she murmured, hands fiddling with one another. She looked down at her palms, noting the half-crescent moons that kissed her skin and shook her head. "It's like, a part of me died that night, too."

Jughead caught her hands in his, tracing his thumbs along her scars soothingly. She looked up at him.

"What happened that night was an act of self-defense. Viper was trying to kill me and you reacted any way someone else would have. Even if you do get a call by the police, you have nothing to worry about," he said quietly but firmly.

Her eyes closed of their own volition. Oh, how she wanted to believe him but she had spent the past three years in fight or flight mode, always expecting the danger that seemed to be lurking around every corner.

"It's not that _simple_, Jug," she sighed. "I _killed _a man. Self-defense or not, his blood is still on my hands. I have to live with that every day for the rest of my life. The burden is too much to carry."

"Then, don't carry it on your own, Betts," he whispered. "Let me help you carry the weight."

She shook her head. "I don't want you going down for the mess I created."

"I already left you to fight your battles on your own once, I'm not doing it again," he said firmly. She bit her lip, wanting so desperately to believe it was as simple as he was making it seem.

"Jug…," she murmured, trailing off as he shook his head.

"No, Betty. You don't get to do that. You don't get to close yourself off from me. Not when so much time and space has distanced us," he said with conviction, and she exhaled slowly, eyes tracing his.

Eventually, she nodded.

"Alright," she whispered.

"Alright," he parroted. He placed his lips against her forehead and she closed her eyes instinctively, reveling in the warmth and security they provided. Betty had never been one to view herself as the damsel in distress; after all, she was the one who figured out where her boyfriend was that night those years ago and had gotten him out of a dangerous situation. But. Sometimes it just felt good to be allowed a respite; to let someone else take care of you, if only for a moment.

When he eventually pulled back his lips, Betty opened her eyes and peered up at him through her lashes.

"How's Archie?" Betty asked.

"Worried about you," he admitted truthfully, and she sighed. That's what she was afraid of.

"I didn't want that," she murmured, thin arms wrapping around her legs. Jughead nodded.

"I know. Sometimes, these things just happen," he said quietly.

"Let's go visit him and Ronnie?" Betty offered, and Jughead looked at her.

"You sure you're up for that?" Jughead asked, and she bit back a sigh of frustration.

"Jug, I'm not breakable. I won't shatter into a million pieces if dropped," she reminded him.

He sighed. "It's just. You tried to _kill _yourself, Betty. And, without giving me the chance to say a proper goodbye or to stop you in the first place."

"And, you'll never know how deeply, truly remorseful I am because of my actions, Jug. But you can't keep treating me like I'll splinter if held wrong," she said softly, cupping his cheek the way he had done for her earlier. She pressed their foreheads together.

"Come on, let's go see Archie," he said, and she smiled.

Progress.

**Author's note: Up next, Varchie! **


	5. Chapter 5

Betty stood outside of Archie and Veronicas' apartment nervously, unsure of what to expect from her two closest confidants. Well, who _used _to be her two closest confidants, before her life went to Hell in a hand basket.

"It's going to be okay, Betts," Jughead's gentle murmur was a soothing sound to her ears. She looked at him, biting her lip anxiously, before releasing it from it's prison and nodding with a sigh.

"I know you're right, Jug. I just feel awful for what I did to them," she muttered, knowing he'd understand what she was referring to.

"You did it to yourself as much as you did it to them, if not more, love," he said quietly, and she closed her eyes, inhaling shakily.

"I know you're right," she murmured. "I just feel more worse for them than I do for me."

"That's because of how kind and caring towards other people you are," he said. "Now, let's knock on the door and see them."

She nodded, and raised her hand, rapping her knuckles against their apartment door. It opened moments later and Betty found herself face-to-face with Veronica Lodge (soon to be Andrews), for the first time in three years. Three years too long. The raven-haired girl hadn't aged a day. Betty took in the fact that her eyes were currently filled with tears and her lower lip was trembling.

"I'm not going to yell at you, but if you ever do something as stupid as what you tried to do again, no place on earth will protect you from me, understood?" Veronica demanded, and Betty bit back a smile at her friend's tone. She nodded.

"Understood, V," she promised softly, and that was all it took for Veronica's tears to spill over.

"Good. Now come here," she said, pulling Betty into a tight hug. One which Betty returned eagerly. Just then, there was a soft throat clearing and Betty looked up to spot Archie smiling softly at her.

"Hey, Betty," he said. "Good to see you."

"And, better than the last time you saw me," she chuckled, and Archie nodded.

"Isn't that the truth," he muttered, before pulling her into his own hug once Veronica released her. "Please don't ever give me that type of call again, okay?"

His tone was burning with urgency, and Betty finally understood just how terrified he must have been that night. She nodded, eyes growing damp.

"I promise, Arch," she whispered into his ear, before pulling back and reaching out for Jughead's hand. It was like now that he was back in her life she couldn't get enough of touching him. She needed to feel some part of him against her to soothe the ache she had felt those long years he had been away.

"Jug, good to see you, man," Archie said, nodding his head at him. Betty rolled her eyes.

"Relax Archie, I know you two have been in contact," she said, and Archie ran a sheepish hand against the back of his neck, looking decidedly uncomfortable.

"In his defense," Veronica began, and Betty turned to look at her. "He did tell Jughead to reach out to you a lot sooner than he did."

Betty nodded, not surprised at the fact that Veronica knew they had been in correspondence. If anything, she was just relieved to know one of them knew he was safe, despite however badly she wished she could have been that one.

"Thanks, Archie," she said, smiling softly at her friend. Archie dipped his head towards her.

"Now, let's go sit in the living room and talk," Veronica said, linking her arm with Betty's. Apparently it seemed like Jughead didn't want to not be in some form of contact with her either because he held onto the fingertips of her free hand, following after them wordlessly.

Once they were seated on the couch and chairs in the living room, Betty looked at Veronica.

"How have you been, V?" Betty asked softly, smiling at her friend as her eye caught the engagement ring on her left ring finger. "Damn. Way to go, Archie."

Archie grinned. "Thanks."

Veronica laughed. "Yeah, he definitely knows what I like."

Betty had the strongest suspicion that Veronica actually pointed out her favorite ring and then he went and bought it but she would never say anything about the fact that her best friend could, well, be high maintenance at times. "When's the wedding?"

"We're aiming for a spring. You have to be my maid of honor, B!" Veronica proclaimed, and Betty bit her lip.

"Ronnie, I appreciate the offer, but I've sort of been laying low these past few years," she muttered.

"Exactly my point. It's prime time you got out of your little hidey hole of an apartment and started socializing with your friends again," she said firmly.

"Ronnie…," Betty trailed off as Jughead squeezed her shoulder.

"A wedding won't be so bad, babe," he murmured, and she looked at him, then Archie who too was wearing a hopeful expression. Seeing it was three against one, she nodded, surrendering,

"Alright," she agreed, and Veronica clapped her hands together enthusiastically.

"Yay!" Veronica chirped excitedly, and Betty laughed.

"What do you need me to do?" Betty asked, and Veronica grinned like the cat who ate the canary.

"We need to go dress shopping for you first and foremost," she exclaimed, and Betty nodded. "Then we need to color-coordinate our bouquets, make sure the tuxes are being handled accordingly, etc."

"I'll be happy to help anyway I can," Betty promised, secretly pleased she had agreed to be her maid of honor. She missed her best friend.

Archie looked at her.

"It's good to see you happy, Betty," he said, and Jughead nodded.

"Yeah, happiness looks good on her, doesn't it?" Jughead agreed, and she blushed softly. He laughed, kissing her forehead gently.

Maybe, they would be alright for once since that night. She was going to just hope for the best and accept the rest.

**Author's note: Short one to get Veronica and Archie introduced again. Hope you like it and reviews lovely! Xxx**


	6. Chapter 6

Betty got back to her apartment late that night with a smile on her face. She was tired but happy with the way the day with her friends had turned out. Then, there was Jughead, who bore a look of such pride it seemed like his beaming grin would be permanently etched across his features. She knew, without a doubt, that he was proud of her for leaving her "hidey-hole of an apartment", as Veronica had put it. It was true. A part from the time she had spent in the mental health facility after her suicide attempt, Betty didn't get out. She was able to score a job for writing for an online newspaper and they let her work from home. The pay was enough to keep the bills paid and she had people deliver her groceries. It was as simple as that.

Jughead snaked his arms around her tummy, allowing her to lean back into his warm embrace.

"I'm proud of you for going today; proud of you for agreeing to be Ronnie's maid of honor. I know how much the idea terrifies you," he said quietly into her ear.

She hummed. "Not as much as the idea of continuing to be a recluse does. That terrifies me more. I've lived the past three years in secrecy, avoiding family and friends alike. It's time to rectify my actions."

He kissed her temple. "Let me all the way in while you rectify those actions, baby."

"I will," she promised, feeling guilty for him even having to ask. But. She guessed that's what would happen after three years apart and an attempt on her life would do. He would be seeking some form of reassurance and she was happy to oblige.

Nodding, he seemed seemingly satisfied with her response. "Let's go to bed, baby."

They made their way into her room where she stood at the foot of the bed, hesitant and torn about asking something. He seemed to sense her discomfort because he paused in the act of taking off his shirt, looking at her with a slight downwards pull of his lips.

"What is it?" Jughead asked softly, and she bit her lip before sighing.

"It's just, it's been three years since…we've…you know," she mumbled, feeling her cheeks heat up. She wanted to berate herself for turning crimson red at the idea of sleeping with her boyfriend but the truth of the matter was it _had _been three years. She wasn't sure if the passion was still there. Digging her nails into her palms as her usual way of coping when shit got tough or awkward or both, Betty looked down at the floor, meaning she missed the way Jughead smiled gently at her.

Feeling him place his thumbs underneath her nails and loosening them, she inhaled shakily before looking up at him nervously.

"And, there hasn't been a day that's gone by that I haven't thought about you and what you do to me," he murmured, and her heart beat pleasantly against its confinement.

"Really?" Betty asked hopefully, and he chuckled, placing his lips against her forehead.

"Really. Why don't I show you how much you mean to me?" Jughead whispered, and Betty sighed happily and in anticipation. He gently eased her down onto the bed, kissing her sensitive spot on her neck, just below her ear. She went to remove her shirt, but he stopped her with a gentle grasp of her wrists.

"Allow me," he murmured, and she felt the dormant butterflies come back to life after three years of nonstop worry.

Thumb tracing soothingly against her scar, Jughead tugged her shirt over her head and dropped a kiss to her stomach, just below her navel. Then, he brought her battered wrist to his lips and placed a delicate kiss against the angry scar.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," he murmured sweetly and Betty felt tears gather in her eyes. Doing her best to blink them back, she smiled.

"I love you, too," she whispered.

Then, they molded into one.

XXX

The next morning brought Betty awake but laying still, with her eyes closed. For the first time in too long she felt at peace with the world; at peace with the constant war raging inside of her mind. She had often thought that her mind could be either her army or her enemy and it was up to her to decide which position it played. Today, it was her army.

"You're staring at me," she mumbled sleepily, feeling his eyes on her.

"Betts. I went three whole fucking years without waking up next to you. Give me this," Jughead laughed, and Betty couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips. She rolled over onto her side and cracked her eyes open, peeking up at him through her lashes.

"Nice save," she murmured, and he grinned, brushing his lips across her forehead.

"What's on the agenda for the day?" Jughead asked, and Betty hummed.

"Helping Veronica find a dress for me but before that, coffee. Lots and lots of coffee," she replied.

"Haven't changed much, I see, my little coffee addict," he teased, and Betty sighed happily. She was mesmerized with the way they had effortlessly slipped back into their relationship and the way they were able to function around one another.

"Not at all," she laughed. She stood up then. "Come on, the coffee won't make itself."

"Will there be pancakes?" Jughead asked excitedly.

"If you're lucky," Betty teased, and he grinned, kissing her deeply.

"God, I've missed you," he whispered, pressing their foreheads together. Betty patted his cheek clumsily, throat too constricted to answer. It seemed like he understood what she couldn't verbalize regardless.

XXX

After a breakfast of pancakes, fruit, and coffee, Jughead and Betty split up, with Jughead going to meet Archie and Betty meeting Ronnie.

When Betty walked into the little boutique that Veronica had explained she wanted her to meet her at, she looked around, taking in the atmosphere. The boutique was nice and quaint; something that suited Ronnie perfectly. Just then, she heard the bell chime and looked up, spotting her friend walking through the door.

"Hey, B, sorry I'm a bit late. Archie didn't want to get out of bed this morning," she chuckled, and Betty rolled her eyes good-naturedly, knowing not to ask questions she didn't want or need the answers to.

"No worries," she assured the other woman. "So, what is it we're exactly looking for?"

Veronica smiled, showcasing her pearly whites. "I want you in a soft lilac, which goes to your knees, and black flats. Preferably Chanel."

Betty worked hard not to wince at the designer name her friend wanted her to wear.

"Uh, Ronnie, I'm not sure I can afford that," she mumbled, but Veronica squeezed her arm gently.

"No worries, my dearest Betty, daddy's credit card has you covered," she assured her.

Betty rolled her eyes fondly, before grinning. "Then, let's get to it."

XXX

It was an hour later that she first noticed him. She thought, at first, that her mind was playing tricks on her, but after doing a double take, she realized he was still standing there.

"…So, as I was saying, I'm thinking we'll have little lilies mixed with the daisies for your bouquet, how does that sound, B?" Veronica's voice sounded as if it was muffled, like she was under water. Or, perhaps, Betty was the one under water; she certainly felt like she was drowning in her own fear.

"Uh, can we go?" Betty whispered, hands shaking. She knew how these things started: they would resemble a panic attack but be so very, very different from one at the same time. While a panic attack made it seem like she was dying, what was currently trying to push through her might actually kill her.

"What, why? Is everything alright…who are you staring at? Betty? Betty," Veronica waved her hand in front of Betty's face but the convulsions had already started and the last thing she heard as she fell to the floor, writhing against the seizure that had trapped her was Veronica's screams.

**Author's note: Enjoy! Quick question: are there still more than a couple of people who wish for Pricked by Thorns to be continued and Down the Rabbit Hole? I need to know so I can get back to writing them. Thanks! As usual, feedback lovely. Xxx**


	7. Chapter 7

Betty felt out of sorts by the time she got her bearings back. She was laying on the floor of the boutique, staring at a very concerned Veronica.

"B, can you hear me?" Veronica asked gently, and she nodded, trying to clear the haze in her mind.

"Yeah, I can hear you," she said quietly, moving to sit up. It was then that she felt hands on her back, supporting her, and she was momentarily confused.

"Easy, baby," Jughead's soothing tone made a certain calmness wash over her immediately.

"Jug?" Betty asked, and he helped her ease into a sitting position as he nodded. "What are you doing here?"

"Arch and I were right down the street, at a tuxedo shop, when Ronnie called Archie. We got here literally moments later," he said, massaging her neck gently.

Betty nodded as the last bit of the haze cleared and she was able to think clearly once more.

"Betty, honey, before you collapsed, you were staring at something or someone pretty hard. What were you looking at?" Veronica asked, and Betty ran her options over in her head. Tell them, and Jughead would face hell; not tell them, and _she _would face hell. The choice was simple.

"No one. I thought I saw something but I think it was just my eyes playing tricks on me," she lied. Veronica's brow furrowed.

"Then, what caused the seizure other than distress?" Veronica asked suspiciously, and Betty sighed, knowing she couldn't get out of this one as easily with a lie.

"Over the past few years, I've had seizures at different times," she admitted.

"With no one around?" Jughead asked in alarm, and she cupped his cheek.

"I'm fine, Juggie," she murmured soothingly.

He sighed. "That'd be easier to believe if I knew someone had been there with you."

Just then, Archie spoke up. "We should call an ambulance and have someone take a look at her."

However, Betty wasn't having any of that. She shook her head firmly. "I'm fine, Arch. This isn't the first time this has happened, nor do I think it'll be the last. I don't ever get doctors involved."

She stood up slowly then, testing her weight on her own feet and, once she deemed herself steady, she looked at Veronica.

"Do we have anything else left to do her?" Betty asked her raven-haired friend. The other woman looked like she wanted to say something else, but thought better of it, because she was shaking her head a moment later.

"Nope, we've already got your dress picked out, and I'll find your shoes. I remember your size from high school. You just got home and relax," she instructed. Betty sighed.

"V, honestly, I'm fine to continue," she assured her, but her friend was adamant in her decision, not willing to be swayed.

"No. I will not let you do that," she reiterated, and Betty admitted defeat gracefully.

"Alright," she replied. She looked at Jughead as he entwined their fingers together.

"C'mon, let's get back to the apartment," he said, and she nodded, feeling tired.

After waving at the other two, Betty and Jughead made their way out into the crisp morning air, with Jughead leading her to his bike. It was a moment of nostalgia for the blonde; she hadn't been on the back of his motorcycle in a long time. Smiling, she accepted the helmet he handed her and climbed on after him, wrapping her arms tight around his waist. Laying her head on his back, she felt the familiar jolt of adrenalin run through her as he took off.

XXX

When they got back to her apartment, she was damn well near on her way to falling asleep. She got off the bike and handed Jughead his helmet back.

"Naptime?' Jughead asked, and she smiled gratefully.

"Yes, please," she murmured, and they made their way back to her floor. Once inside, she kicked off her shoes tiredly, not even bothering to put them where they went, and made her way to her bedroom. After crawling into bed behind Jughead, she felt his arms wrap around her waist and pull her close. It was different than how they had been in bed the previous night but no less intimate.

Curling up into his chest, she felt him place a kiss against her temple.

"You going to tell me what you really saw that caused the seizure?" Jughead asked quietly, and Betty bit her lip. She should've known better than to think he'd accept her lie. She sighed.

"It was nothing, Jug, honestly," she muttered. She could feel his fingers tracing random, soothing patterns into her skin and found herself relaxing significantly.

"I can't help you if you don't tell me how, sweetheart," he murmured. Her eyes closed of their own volition, mind replaying the image of Malachi standing across the street from the boutique. She hadn't seen him since the Ghoulies tried to take over Riverdale. Of course, it would be when her life finally seemed to be getting a semblance of normalcy again that he would slither back in.

Knowing that Jughead couldn't know because it would result in a war that would have insurmountable casualties, she shook her head.

"Honestly, I think I was just due for another seizure," she lied through her teeth. "Now, let's go to sleep."

With that, she closed the topic, pulling the comforter up over her body. She closed her eyes and let her breathing go soft, but her mind was running a mile a minute. What was Malachi doing in New York City? Was he there because Jughead was? Betty would rather die than see anything happen to him, so vowed she would do whatever it took to protect him – even if it was at the cost of her. Malachi wasn't going to take away the one good thing in her life. He wasn't going to penalize Jughead for her crimes. He could burn in Hell for all she cared, but Jughead wasn't going to become another pawn in his game. She was going to stop him and his plans, whatever it took. No matter the cost.

**Author's note: Enjoy. Xxx**


	8. Chapter 8

When Betty woke up from her nap, a plan had already formulated in her mind for as to what she was going to do about Malachi. She knew that the Ghoulie wouldn't rest until either she or Jughead were dead, or both. Not worried about her safety for even a millisecond, Betty knew what she had to do in order to protect the man who came back into her life after being absent for three years too long.

Rolling over, she peered at Jughead, who was still asleep, and smiled softly. He looked calm; like he wasn't carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders for once. The look suited him. She knew that ever since he was a kid he had been struggling to find himself in this messed up place they called Earth. Tracing the pad of her thumb along the length of his jaw, she pressed a tender kiss to his cheek, reveling in the warmth she felt encompassing her heart, before carefully getting out of bed.

After writing a note explaining that she was going into the city, Betty got ready, left the note on her side of the bed, (momentarily wondering when it had become 'their' bed), and quietly slipped out of her apartment. The afternoon had warmed up a bit but it was still definitely fall in the city. She made her way down the street, fallen leaves crunching underneath her feet with every step she took.

She only had one destination in mind.

XXX

By the time Betty reached the place across the street from the boutique, where she had first seen Malachi, she looked around, taking in her surroundings. There wasn't much on this side of the street that clued her into his whereabouts but she wasn't about to give up this early and call it a day. She looked around for one more moment, before walking down the street in the direction she was sure he had walked in before her seizure took over.

As she made her way down the street, she kept her eyes peeled for any suspicious activity jumping out at her. Now that she knew Malachi was in the city, she wouldn't put it past him to be watching every move she made. With a bitter taste in her mouth, she realized that meant he was watching Jughead, too. Running her fingers through her tresses, she picked up the pace, keeping an eye out.

Eventually, she came across a warehouse tucked away into a corner where two streets met at an intersection. Looking around, she hurried towards it. As soon as she reached it, she tried the door, not surprised to find it locked. No trouble. Taking a bobby pin out of her coat pocket, she inserted it into the lock and with a satisfied smile, heard the way the lock clicked and the door swung open. Once inside, her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the warehouse as she looked around.

"Holy shit," she gasped softly, before quickly covering her mouth with her hand.

There was piles and piles of money just sitting out in the open, along with guns and other paraphernalia that she was sure wasn't legal. Pulling out her phone, Betty quickly snapped pictures of all of the items before snapping a picture of the warehouse. Then, like a bat out of hell, she got the hell out of there.

XXX

"Where'd you go?" Jughead's voice, while not totally unexpected, was still a welcome distraction from the thoughts running rampant in her mind. She looked at him, cupping his cheek softly, soft smile adorning her face.

"Nowhere, I just needed to clear my head for a bit so I went for a walk," she murmured, telling a part truth but leaving out the more pressing details; he didn't need to be dragged into whatever the fuck it was that she stumbled upon.

He hummed. "I missed waking up next to you."

Laughing gently, she pushed his flyaway curl off his forehead. "I'm sorry. I promise to make it up to you."

"You better," he murmured, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her flush against his chest.

Giggling softly, she brushed her lips across his once, twice, three times before pulling back and laying her head against his chest.

"Hey, Jug?" Betty asked.

"Hmm?"

"If this was as good as it got, us living in New York and me dealing with anxiety, would that be enough for you to stay?" Betty whispered, fear tingling through her body at the idea of a negative answer.

He squeezed her hip gently and she melted into the touch. "Elizabeth Cooper, you don't ever have to ask if being with you is enough. It's more than enough. I don't know if you've noticed this about me or not, yet, but I need you the way I need air. These past three years without you literally had me drowning. I didn't know which way was up and which way was down from the current trying to sweep me under. I needed you. I still do. So, yes, it'll _always _be enough."

She smiled, brushing her nose against his. "Good answer, Jughead Jones."

He laughed, flipping them over, before pressing a kiss to her pulse point.

"Let me show you how enough it is," he said, and she laughed.

They didn't emerge for the rest of the afternoon.

XXX

When the couple eventually got out of bed, night had fallen; a time that was incredibly challenging for Betty. It was when her nightmares plagued her the most, whether asleep or awake. Sighing, she made her way into the kitchen and put the tea kettle on her stove, hoping a cup of hot tea would be enough to soothe her anxieties. She had had a trying day, from dress shopping to finding the warehouse to everything in between. She was simply exhausted

Feeling gentle arms wrap around her midsection, she leaned back into Jughead's embrace, smiling softly as he pressed a kiss to her collar bone.

"Does that help you sleep, baby?" Jughead asked quietly, and she shrugged.

"Sometimes. Other times, it just calms me down long enough to lay in bed and relax, no matter if I get sleep or not," she murmured, eyes on the teapot.

"Everyone needs sleep, Betts," he said softly, and she chuckled.

"Sleep hasn't really been my friend the past few years, Juggie. I've got too much going on up here." She tapped her forehead, smiling slightly. It was ironic. Even when she craved the noise of the city, the noise in her brain still drowned out every other sound.

"Have you considered seeing someone for that?" Jughead asked softly.

"Like, a therapist?" Betty asked, and he nodded.

She sighed. "I have. I just don't know if I'm ready to make that jump."

"Well, if and when you are, I'm here to support you, no matter what," he replied with conviction.

Nothing more was said but then again, nothing more needed to be said. They simply understood one another and that was enough for her.

**Author's note: Enjoy! Xxx**


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